This episode explores the major defeat of the ruling DPP in Taiwan’s recent nine-in-one local elections and what these results mean for the future of cross-Strait relations. Our guest, Dr. Shelley Rigger, explains the current economic and political climate in Taiwan and provides insights into the economic drivers that helped KMT candidates win 15 of Taiwan’s 22 mayoral and county magistrate seats. She also examines Beijing’s response to the election results and how it may use the DPP’s loss to its advantage. Dr. Shelley Rigger is the Brown Professor of East Asian Politics in the Department of Political Science at Davidson College. She was previously a visiting associate professor at Fudan University in Shanghai as well as a visiting research scholar at National Chengchi University in Taipei. Dr. Rigger has written extensively on Taiwan and cross-Strait relations.